Mounjaro
Mounjaro is an injectable prescription medication containing tirzepatide, which belongs to a class of diabetes medications known as GLP-1 agonists, and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptides).
This medication is used along with diet and exercise to improve blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, it is not suitable for use in patients with type 1 diabetes.
Mounjaro is not a weight loss medication. However, people taking Mounjaro have lost up to 25 pounds in clinical trials.
Mounjaro has compared Ozempic 1 mg in a 40-week study of 1879 adults with type 2 diabetes who were also taking metformin and had a baseline A1C of 8.3 percent. Mounjaro reduced their A1C by 2.0 percent on the 5-mg dose, 2.2 percent on the 10-mg dose, and 2.3 percent on the 15-mg dose. The A1C of people taking the Ozempic 1-mg dose was reduced by 1.9 percent on average.
– On May 13, 2022, The FDA approved Mounjaro Injection, manufactured by Eli Lilly, a new once-weekly GIP, and GLP-1 receptor agonist to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Mounjaro, the first and only FDA-approved GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, is a single molecule that activates the body’s GIP and GLP-1 receptors, which are natural incretin hormones.
Mounjaro will be available in six doses (2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg) and will be administered in Lilly’s familiar autoinjector pen with a pre-mounted hidden needle that patients do not need to touch or see. The pen is nearly identical to the Trulicity autoinjector, which is administered once a week.
Mounjaro pen how to use?
Take the pen out of the refrigerator. Leave the gray base cap on the pen until you are ready to inject. Check the pen label to make sure you have the correct medication and dose and that it has not expired. Check the pen to make sure it is not damaged. Check the pen to make sure it is not damaged. Make sure the medication: is not frozen, is not cloudy, is colorless, and does not contain particles.
Step 1: Wash your hands and choose the injection site;
Your healthcare provider can help you choose the injection site that is best for you. You can inject the medicine into your abdomen or thigh. If you need to inject the medicine into the back of your upper arm, you may be able to do it yourself, but it is easier if someone helps you. Change the injection site every week. You can use the same body site, but be sure to choose a different injection site in that area.
Step #2
Pull off the gray base cap and make sure the pen is locked. Do not unlock the pen until you place the clear base on your skin and are ready to inject. Pull the gray base cap straight off and throw it in the household trash. Do not put the gray base cap back on the injection site as this may damage the needle. and Do not touch the needle.
Step #3
Place the clear base flat against your skin at the injection site and unlock the pen by turning the locking ring.
Step#4
Press and hold the button for up to 10 seconds. Pay attention to the first click. This means that the injection has started. Then you will hear the second click and the gray plunger will be visible, which means that the injection is complete.
step#5
After injection, place the used pen in a disposable sharps container and dispose of it according to the instructions provided with your pen.
These may not be the complete list of procedures for using Mounjaro. Your healthcare provider should demonstrate how to use the pen before you begin Mounjaro. Read the User Handbook that came with your pen.
Mounjaro vs Ozempic- which one is better?
Mounjaro mimics the action of two incretin hormones involved in blood glucose control, GLP1 and GIP, making it the first drug in its class to activate both receptors. Ozempic, on the other hand, contains only the GLP1 agonist.
In clinical trials, The study found that Mounjaro was more effective than Ozempic in controlling blood glucose levels and helping patients lose weight.
Mounjaro received FDA approval based on data from five clinical trials. In these studies, the drug was compared to a placebo, Ozempic, and two long-acting insulin analogs.
In a study of diabetics randomized to receive 15 mg of Mounjaro, which is the maximum recommended dose, their hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was 1.6 percent lower than that of patients receiving a placebo. In addition, HbA1c levels decreased by 1.5 percent when Mounjaro was used in combination with long-acting insulin.
When Mounjaro was compared to Ozempic, HbA1c levels decreased by 0.5 percent, in patients receiving Mounjaro compared to those receiving Ozempic.
This proved, Mounjaro’s superior efficacy in diabetes management compared to Ozempic.
Many of the study participants were obese, having a BMI between 32 and 34.
People taking Mounjaro lost an average of 12 pounds more than those taking Ozempic.
As for side effects, warnings and safety, they are the same because both drugs have the same mechanism of action.
Many patients find it difficult to reach their blood sugar goals. The approval of Mounjaro is an important advance in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and will help these patients.
If you are using Ozempic and you feel better with it, then better to stay on taking Ozempic injection.
-But, If you want to take these medications for the first time, it is better to see an endocrinologist, who can decide whether you should take one of these medications, or reduce your weight with diet and exercise only.
How does Mounjaro (tirzepatide) work?
Mounjaro is used once a week. You will start with a dose of 2.5 mg and your doctor will increase it by 2.5 mg every 4 weeks until you reach a maximum dose of 15 mg per week.
Mounjaro contains a GIP -receptor agonist in addition to a GLP-1 receptor agonist. This means that Mounjaro mimics not one, but two unique endogenous incretin hormones.
To understand the mechanism of Mounjaro-Tirzepatide;
I would like to explain the hormones GLP1 and GIP.
GLP-1 is a hormone produced in the small and large intestines. It is released in response to food and stimulates insulin secretion, but only when glucose is in the bloodstream.
GLP-1 has other beneficial effects: It slows the absorption of carbohydrates, resulting in low blood glucose levels after meals. It also causes loss of appetite, and animal studies have shown that it can promote regeneration of pancreatic beta cells and fight apoptosis (programmed cell death), improving the survival of existing beta cells.
GIP is produced by cells in the upper small intestine and released when glucose comes into contact with these cells. Like GLP-1, GIP acts on pancreatic beta cells, where it stimulates insulin secretion, and also appears to promote beta-cell proliferation and survival.
GIP may complement the action of GLP-1 receptor agonists. In preclinical models, GIP has been shown to decrease food intake and increase energy expenditure. Therefore, the combination with a GLP-1 receptor agonist may have greater effects on markers of metabolic dysfunction such as body weight, glucose, and lipids.
Now, looking at the mechanism of Mounjaro Tirzepatide, due to its GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist activity, it has a dual effect, like two in one, making it a more effective drug from the incretin hormone family for controlling diabetes and weight loss.
